Jewish Oberlin professor’s house vandalized, note says ‘Gas Die Jew’

The Carnegie Building on the Oberlin College campus, Oberlin, Ohio (Wikimedia Commons)

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(JTA) — The home of a Jewish professor at Oberlin College was vandalized and a note reading “Gas Jew Die” was left at his front door.

The professor has been identified by police as Benjamin Kuperman, an associate professor at the school and chair of the computer science department. The incident occurred early Thursday morning. Kuperman and his wife are Jewish.

Belongings on Kuperman’s front porch were damaged and the note, made of letters cut from newspapers, was stuck under the mezuzah affixed to the home’s doorpost, according to reports.

Oberlin Police Chief Juan Torres told Fox News that the incident was being investigated as a hate crime. In an email to students, Oberlin College President Marvin Krislov called it: “a cowardly, hateful act.”

“As the General Faculty discussed yesterday, this is a moment of great stress and consternation, both nationally and locally. We will need each other’s continued compassion and support at this time; please take care of yourselves, your families, and your loved ones. As our community grieves for the loss of dignity and personal/physical safety that comes with these sorts of vile attacks, these events also can galvanize us in our resolve to fight bigotry and hatred wherever and whenever they occur,” he wrote.

Last week, an Oberlin assistant professor whose anti-Semitic social media posts outraged many alumni and faculty was dismissed by the college’s board of trustees.